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FOX's College Football Coverage = Bad to the Nth Degree
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I really hated the fact that ABC/ESPN got yanked of the BCS games as of last year. FOX has had the rights for 2 seasons now, and at this point I prefer for CNN to broadcast the game. This year, the ratings for all BCS games went down significantly, mainly last night's national championship game, in which there was a 17% decrease of viewers from OSU/Florida to OSU/LSU. From the announcing, to the band shots, to the pre game show, everything FOX does in college football is pathetic. Oh don't worry, I'll have evidence to back it up.
Band Shots!
There are certain things to broadcast in a college football game, the bands are one of them. School bands are a important part of collegiate sports on TV, and should have their share in the spotlight.......just not 110 times in the FedEx Orange Bowl. This is not a joke, after every other play, there was a shot of the Kansas or Virginia Tech band. That is horrendous broadcasting, when there are more shots of the band, than the sidelines of the respective schools.
Pre-Game
I cannot figure out why they pegged Chris Rose as college football host for FOX's pre-game BCS thingy they do. He is fine for the Best Damn Sports Show Period, he is okay in play by play announcing, he is amateurish as far as presenting a huge event like this. Jimmy Johnson is a fine coach, good analyst on the NFL on FOX....regresses in college football. I'd like to know what this video below from last night was all about. They've also had some guest like Barry Switzer, John Riggins, and Urban Meyer on the show. Riggins and Meyer were okay, but Switzer made me turn off the TV as soon as he said....
"The defensive secondary has got to play well".
As opposed to all of these offensive secondaries you see.
Announcers
I present to you the list of announcers FOX used for the BCS:
- Matt Vasgersian/Pat Haden/ Terry Donahue
- Thom Brennaman/Charles Davis
- Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Barry Alvarez
Let me break it down one by one....
Vasgersian/Haden/Donahue: They called West "F*ckin" Virgina vs. Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Vasgersian is one of my favorite announcers, shows enthusiasm, rarely makes mistakes. Haden, pretty much the same thing. On to Terry Donahue.....that is an adventure. Some quotable from this genius:
"I can tell you from being in a lot of bowl games that the speed and tempo of West Virginia is controlling this game." (As opposed to the regular season games in which there is no tempo and no speed)
"Not only was he held, and got the sack, but he got held as well" (Ya just want to emphasize that he got held right Terry?)
"One of those "stupid" penalties" (As opposed to the several smart penalties)
"Pat White has gotten in and out of trouble with those beautiful legs of his." (Whatever your lifestyle is Terry, whatever it is.)
Yep, I don't make this stuff up, the quality of announcing is incredibly bad.
Albert/Johnston/Alvarez: Another situation where 2 out of 3 are fine announcers (Albert and Johnston), but goodness me, Barry Alvarez is irritating. He stumbles, states the obvious, and gets player positions wrong. More quotables from the Orange Bowl!
"They went right at Aqib Talib the best receiver for Kansas." (Normally your best receiver wouldn't be a DB, but I guess Kansas' receivers suck.)
"We talk about the different players Coach Mangoni recruits.......Mangino."
Brennaman/Davis: Worst announcing crew for a BCS Title Game (they called the Sugar Bowl...like I care) on the face of the Earth. Brennaman literally makes Joe Buck seem like a great announcer for football. He treated both the Sugar Bowl and last night's game as if this was the first week of the season! No infliction, no passion, and he seems really bored. I mean, he called the Georgia Bulldogs the Georgia Gators (I would have the video, but they took it down), and called Knowshon Moreno, Knoshon Marino, and then Nomar Moreno. Davis is a whole other story. He is obsessed with the term "aggressiveness", comes up with some of the weirdest analogies, and....well....here are some more Brennaman and Davis quotables from the Sugar Bowl and the BCS Title Game:
Sugar Bowl
"They (Georgia) were in the Sugar Bowl two years ago but had to play that in New Orleans because of Katrina" - Thom Brennaman "Atlanta" - Charles Davis (Good to know you are on top of your facts Thom)
"We've talked about how Hawai'i has come back frequently this season - or at least a handful of times" - Thom Brennaman
Nat'l Championship Game
"Don't let Jim Tressel's sweater vest fool you. He'll show a lot of sets."- Charles Davis (What?!)
"We talked about how important it was for Ohio State to establish a routine on offense well it's equally important for LSU to do so on defense."- Charles Davis (Okay, that was in the 4th quarter, which is JUST in time to establish a routine)
"See in College as soon as the player breaks the plane of the endzone that's it."- Charles Davis (Because in the NFL, you just keep running until you get to the locker room right?
"He had a stick in his pocket" - Thom Brennaman (Now that was funny)
"That's the the theme music from the old TV show Terry and The Pirates. Paul Ditzel pulled his defense....the defense name he had were the Chinese bandits."- Charles Davis (Again...why?!)
"Well they're gonna kick the extra point, then line it up for an onside kick" - Charles Davis (That was when Ohio State was down 38-24 with 1:30 remaining. Thanks for the info Captain Obvious.)
"Matt Flynn 16-29" - Thom Brennaman (Too bad the graphic showed 25.)
And finally.....
"It's going to be close it depends where the foot went down on the spot."- Charles Davis "It's going to depend on the spot."- Thom Brennaman
What a joke of an announcing crew. It's an insult to my so called intelligence to have this pair doing well....anything as far as announcing.
FOX really did a poor job this season, and to think we still have Joe Buck for Super Bowl XLII.
Okay, enough of me, what are your thoughts on this one?
